Operations

Commercial Fleet Sales Up 8.7 Percent

Sales of vehicles to commercial fleets has now risen 8.7 percent through October compared to a year ago on a month again driven by robust sales of trucks and SUVs, according to Automotive Fleet data.

Fleets added 8,109 trucks and SUVs during the month, representing a 22.3 percent increase over October of 2013. At the same time, fleets added 1,649 passenger cars for a 21.6 percent increase. Overall, nine OEMs sold 53,829 fleet vehicles for a 22.1 percent increase on the month compared to the same month a year ago.

Fleet sales continue to show strength heading toward the end of the year. Through the first 10 months of the year, OEMs have sold 502,793 vehicles to fleets for an 8.7 percent increase over the same 10 months in 2013. OEMs had sold 462,400 commercial fleet vehicles at this point a year ago.

Trucks and SUVs, including full-size vans, have been pacing commercial fleet sales and now account for a 13 percent increase. OEMs have sold 426,378 trucks and SUVs compared with 377,231 a year ago. Passenger car sales have lagged this year and are now 10.3 percent lower than at this point in 2013. OEMs have sold 76,415 cars compared to the 85,166 cars sold through October of 2013.

Operations

Small fleets and owner/operators can easily offer their load sources — which include freight brokers, commercial shippers, and all shipment stakeholders — automated, real-time status updates that are more convenient, seamless, and add value to the logistics management process.

Mercedes-Benz will shift production of its Sprinter van to South Carolina from Germany later this year. Andrew Lawson, the general manager of fleet operations for van and chassis, sat down with Automotive Fleet to discuss what it means for fleets.

Amazon is launching a program that will help entrepreneurs build their own companies delivering Amazon packages. Successful owners can earn as much as $300,000 in annual profit operating a fleet of up to 40 delivery vehicles.

The majority of fleets are reporting that their acquisition strategies are being stimulated by solid organic business growth, with most forecasting an increase or continuation of the same order volume in model-year 2019.